Burwood Post Office facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Burwood Post Office (former) |
|
|---|---|
The former post office, pictured in 2007
|
|
| Location | 168a Burwood Road, Burwood, Municipality of Burwood, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1892 |
| Architect |
|
| Architectural style(s) | Italian Romanesque Revival |
| Official name: Burwood Post Office (former) | |
| Type | State heritage (built) |
| Designated | 18 May 2001 |
| Reference no. | 1490 |
| Type | Post Office |
| Category | Postal and Telecommunications |
| Builders | New South Wales Works Branch |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
The Burwood Post Office is a very old building in Burwood, a suburb of Sydney, Australia. It used to be a post office, but now it's an empty shop. This special building was designed by famous architects Walter Liberty Vernon and George Oakeshott. It was built in 1892. The building is so important that it's listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register, which means it's protected because of its history and beauty.
Contents
History of Burwood and its Post Office
How Burwood Got Its Name
Burwood got its name from a large piece of land. This land was given to Captain Thomas Rowley in 1799. He named it Burwood Farm, after a place in England. Captain Rowley was one of the first people to bring merino sheep to Australia. He kept some of his sheep here. You can still find Rowley Street in Burwood today, named after him.
Early Days of Burwood
In 1812, a businessman named Alexander Riley bought the land. He built the first house in the area, called "Burwood Villa," in 1814. This house was later taken down in 1937. Riley also planted many different fruits and nuts on his farm. He was the first to bring oranges, lemons, and many other fruits to the colony.
Travel was tough back then. Stagecoaches started running to Parramatta in 1814. Inns were built every 10 kilometers for coaches to change horses. This was also a time when bushrangers, like bandits, made the roads unsafe.
Burwood Grows with the Railway
Around 1833, people started dividing and selling their land. This is how Burwood began to grow. The area officially became the Municipality of Burwood in 1874. Back then, it was a small village with only about 1,200 people.
A big change happened in 1855 when the railway opened. This made it easy to travel from Burwood to Sydney. Many rich people moved to Burwood and built big country houses. The number of people living in Burwood grew a lot, from 7,400 in 1900 to over 20,000 by 1930.
The Burwood Post Office Building
Before the current building, the post office was at the railway station. In 1892, the beautiful building we see today was opened. It was designed by Walter Liberty Vernon, who was the Government Architect.
Vernon designed many post offices during his time, from 1890 to 1911. Even though there wasn't much money for building, he managed to create many important buildings. George Oakeshott, his assistant, helped a lot with the post office designs.
The Burwood Post Office is special because it shows a style called "American Romanesque." This style uses big, round arches. It was one of the first buildings to use this look. The building also has a tall clock tower. The clock was added to the tower in 1901.
What the Burwood Post Office Looks Like
The Burwood Post Office is a two-story building. It's made of different colored bricks, which is called "polychrome brick." It has a tall, four-story tower called a "campanile." The building's design is called "Italian Romanesque Revival."
The front of the building is unique. It has a huge arched opening where people used to send their mail. The brickwork is very detailed. You can see sandstone decorations, including royal symbols. There are also many arched windows and special stone lines called "string courses." The roof is made of terracotta tiles.
Walter Liberty Vernon's style often used brick and stone. He liked buildings with pointed roofs called "gables" instead of flat tops called "parapets." His buildings often looked like charming, old houses. They also frequently featured simple, rounded arches and semi-circular windows. You can see these features in many of his designs across New South Wales.
Condition of the Building
The front of the building is in good shape. Around 1930, a large round window on the ground floor was changed into an archway. This was done to make it easier to get inside. The tower and the main roof are still in good condition. Sadly, a special plaque from 1892 that was outside the entrance was removed or stolen.
Inside, the old post office counters were taken out in the 1970s. More recently, all the other old fittings were removed.
Why the Burwood Post Office is Special
The Burwood Post Office is a great example of a suburban post office. It was designed by Walter Liberty Vernon in a style called "Federation Anglo Dutch Revival." Its unique front with detailed brickwork and big arches makes it stand out. The square tower, which is more Italian in style, makes the building a focal point in the town.
This building is a landmark in Burwood. You can see it from many parts of the area. It has become a symbol for the community. People even use its image as a logo. Many believe it's the most famous building in Burwood.
It's also part of a group of important public buildings designed by Walter Liberty Vernon. It's rare to see a non-religious building with a corner tower like this one. The post office has always been connected to the Burwood Railway Station, which is also a historic site.
The Burwood Post Office is important for many reasons:
- It shows history: It tells us about how postal services and building styles changed in New South Wales.
- It's beautiful: Its unique design, with its arches and tower, shows great artistic and building skill.
- It's important to the community: The post office served the people of Burwood for over 100 years. The clock on the tower was very important to the community.
- It's rare: Its corner tower makes it a unique building. It's a landmark that stands out in the area.
This building is a great example of Walter Liberty Vernon's work. It shows the main features of his designs for public buildings in New South Wales.
